According to the Oxford Dictionary, weeds are wild plants that grow where they are not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants. ‘Unwanted’ though they may be, especially to serious landscapers or gardeners, no one can deny that there’s something admirable about the remarkable resilience of weeds and their ability to grow and thrive in the most unexpected and implausible places. Drains? Check. A crack in the pavement? Why not? Just give these highly adaptable plants the minimum they need to survive and they will do just that.

Seen in this light, Weeds Find a Way is thus a fitting homage to these ubiquitous yet humble plants.

While the book’s lyrical text vividly describes the proliferation of weeds and their tenacious ability to adapt, disperse and survive under harsh conditions, the striking illustrations throughout burst with colour and life — making it clear that weeds, too, are rather beautiful in their own way.

And, just in case you’re still harbouring doubts about the value of weeds, there’s a four-page ‘Meet the Weeds’ section at the end of the book that highlights the various useful applications of specific weeds.

Check out the book trailer here: